It's not the ball's fault you can't kick - Grant Fox

Jonny Wilkinson lines up a kick during England's Rugby World Cup Pool B match against Argentina at Otago Stadium. Photo / Getty Images

Discussions and debates after the first matches of the Rugby World Cup have cast the spotlight on one central figure. Not the well-cut Sonny Bill Williams, who sidestepped criticism to play a key role in the All Blacks' opening night thrashing of Tonga, nor any of the highly-fancied Wallabies who struggled to find their groove against the spirited Italians.

Instead, people are talking about a short, roundish chap named Gilbert.

More specifically, they are talking about the Gilbert Virtuo ball used in the World Cup fixtures and what it appears to be doing to some champion goalkickers: lowering their hit-rates.

All Blacks first-five Dan Carter was the first kicker to have a crack at the ball during the tournament. He landed four of his five attempts for an 80 per cent success rate, meaning he had a better night out than his world-class rival, Jonny Wilkinson.

England's 2003 World Cup hero had a shocking night at the tee, missing five of his seven penalty shots during Saturday night's feature match at the fully-enclosed Otago Stadium. He was 100 per cent successful with his conversion tally, a single kick after Ben Youngs' late matchwinner.

Wilkinson's opposite, Argentina fullback Martin Rodriguez, had an equally torrid time. He sent Argentine spirits soaring with an early penalty goal, granting Los Pumas a lead which they held for over three quarters of the match. They may have held that lead until fulltime if not for the fullback's inability to land half of his penalties.

The 460 gram Virtuo, hailed by former South African international Braam van Straaten as "an amazing ball" and "a pleasure to test" in a press release issued earlier this year, is said to feature a "unique grip surface that has a profound impact" on the ball's flight.

It was first used during the Six Nations tournament, and all squads trained with it in the lead-up to the Rugby World Cup.

"The key to the manufacturing process is the relationship between the strength of backing material and the amount of energy imparted, this new ball has pleased the experts," Gilbert's Eric Ichikowitz said in the statement.

Former All Blacks first-five Grant Fox, whose global reputation as a "superboot" was built upon his record of 118 conversions and 128 penalties, said it was too early to say if the ball was to blame on Saturday night.

"There's a little bit of chatter about the ball," he said.

"We've got to wait a little bit longer into this tournament to work out whether in fact there is anything within the atmosphere of the stadium, or the ball or a bit of both."

Fox said it was rare for two opposing kickers to perform poorly in the same match, but it did happen.

"We just haven't seen Jonny have it very often. Whether it's the effects of a smaller, enclosed stadium as opposed to a much bigger one like [Cardiff's] Millennium that's open at the ends with a bit of breeze going through, or the kicker's having an off-night - which is the more likely one," he said.

"My instinct tells me they had a bad day at the office."

Kicking goals or just kicking themselves?
Rugby World Cup star goalkickers:

Dan Carter - New Zealand
v Tonga
Conversions: 3 from 4 attempts
Penalties: 1 from 1 attempt

Jonny Wilkinson - England
v Argentina
Conversions: 1 from 1 attempt
Penalties: 2 from 7 attempts

Martin Rodriguez - Argentina
Conversions: None attempted
Penalties: 3 from 6 attempts

James Hook - Wales
v South Africa
Conversions: 1 from 1 attempt
Penalties: 3 from 5 attempts

Morné Steyn - South Africa
Conversions: 1 from 1 attempt
Penalties: 2 from 2 attempts

James O'Connor - Australia
v Italy
Conversions: 3 from 4 attempts
Penalties: None attempted